On April 29, Austin Justice Coalition held a virtual community town-hall conversation with Travis County/ Austin judges to learn how they are responding, from a judicial perspective, during the coronavirus pandemic.
Featured panelists:
– Sarah Eckhardt, Judge, Travis County Judge
– The Honorable Brad Urrutia, Judge, 450th Criminal District Court
– The Honorable Julie Kocurek, Judge, 390th Criminal District Court
– The Honorable Cliff Brown, Judge, 147th Criminal District Court
– The Honorable Elisabeth Earle, County Court at Law #7
– The Honorable Nancy Hohengarten, County Court at Law #5
– The Honorable Leon Grizzard, Travis County Magistrate Court
Food Resources
https://www.austinisd.org/covid19/meals
Austin ISD Food Services will prepare and provide meals for children under the age of 19 at more than 70 locations while school is closed due to COVID-19 precautions. AISD is working in collaboration with the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Curbside meals will be offered at more than 15 sites. Austin ISD school buses will deliver meals throughout the community at more than 50 locations. Sites were chosen based on 50 percent or more students receiving meal benefits. https://www.centraltexasfoodbank.org/
The Central Texas Food Bank is actively monitoring developments related to COVID-19 (coronavirus).
We still need volunteers to help us get food out to our neighbors who need it, so our volunteer operations are open. https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2fBMQtb1i5IBor3
Stay Home, Stay Healthy is a temporary free food delivery service created by Good Apple in partnership with HOPE food pantry and the Austin Transportation Department to aid high risk Travis Country residents who are experiencing food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our mission is to keep people home and healthy by delivering food staples and fresh produce directly to the residents’ doorsteps.
The Food Pantry needs food year-round to help feed approximately 600 families each month. You can help by coordinating a food drive for your church, business, school or organization.
Location
Hill Country Community Ministries (map)
1005 Lacy Drive
Leander, TX 78641
Hours of Operation
Monday through Friday
9 a.m. to noon; 1 to 3 p.m. Extended hours Thursday until 7 p.m. Covenant Food Pantry
- Every Wednesday 4-6:30 p.m.
- 4410 Duval Rd., Austin, TX, 78727
Neighbor to Neighbor
- Every Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 9am-2pm
- 1941 Webberville Rd., Austin, TX, 78721
Round Rock Area Serving Center
- Monday-Friday 10am-4pm | Saturday 9am-12pm
- 1099 E Main St., Round Rock, TX, 78664
Reveal Resource Center
- Monday 6-8pm | Tuesday 9am-12pm
- 1150 S. Bell Blvd, Cedar Park, TX, 78631
Brighter Days Food Pantry
- Every Wednesday 6-8 p.m. | Senior hours: Tuesday 1:30-2:30 p.m.
- 300 Crystal Falls Pkwy, Leander, TX, 78641
Medical/Health Resources
https://communitycaretx.org/health-education/
Uninsured/no doctor with possible COVID-19 symptoms? Call the COVID-19 Hotline at 512-978-8775 for guidance. This number is for all Travis County residents with COVID-19 symptoms who don’t have insurance or a doctor. Do this rather than directly going to a clinic or hospital. https://www.centralhealth.net/covid19/
The Central Health Enterprise (Central Health, CommUnityCare Health Centers, Sendero Health Plans) is closely following the developing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in our region and will post news and information most pertinent to our patients, clients, partners, and staff on this page.
Austin Public Health is our local public health authority and is leading efforts to research, gather, and disseminate information to the community. For the latest news and information, please visit the APH website at austintexas.gov/COVID19.
https://www.ncoa.org/covid-19-resources-for-older-adults/
Staying Healthy, Safe, and Connected
- Ensuring Access to Needed Medications, April 2
- Getting the Care You Need via Telemedicine, March 27
- Where to Get Food Help Now, March 24
- 4 Coronavirus Scams to Avoid, March 19
- Staying Healthy While Staying Home, March 18
- Do Your Part to Stem COVID-19: An Intergenerational Call to Action, March 16
- Coronavirus: What Older Adults Need to Know, March 11
Housing/Renters
https://www.taa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/TAA-Cororavirus-Renter-Resources-1.pdf
https://sites.google.com/bastaaustin.org/basta-covid-19-resources/home
https://www.facebook.com/bastaaustin/
What Happens If I Don’t Pay Rent?
Due to COVID-19 the City of Austin is giving tenants 60 days to pay back rent. Late fees still apply. Travis County has paused all non-paying eviction hearings until May 8.
Equity
Report Incidences of Racism Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Asian American and Pacific Islander groups have launched a reporting tool for people to report coronavirus-related racist acts.
The Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) along with the Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) on Thursday announced the creation of the online reporting center where people can fill out a form — currently available in English, traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese and Korean — to report the location and type of discrimination experienced and other details.
Ten Equity Implications of the Coronavirus COVID-19 Outbreak in the United States
Highlights:
I. Racism and stigmatization have increased, particularly towards the Asian and Asian American population.
II. Certain populations face differential exposure and extensive corresponding implications
III. Frontline workers face tough choices amid differential health and economic risks and impacts.
IV. Democracy vehicles are being jeopardized by coronavirus impacts.
V. Coronavirus remediation will result in increased exposure to toxic cleaning chemicals from products used in households, businesses, schools, which may harm occupants and cleaners.
VI. School impacts may include infection outbreaks due to confined spaces. Also, if schools close, children who rely on free meals may suffer from missed meals, college students may experience housing insecurity if they don’t have a home to which to return, and students will experience education interruption.
VII. Testing kits are lacking and when they become available, it’s unclear how access will be prioritized and for whom, as well as what the implications of diagnosis will be for those who are uninsured.
VIII. Quarantine policies and practices are unfolding with a risk to human and civil rights, given the unprecedented scale of the outbreak, possibly exacerbated by the historic experiences of marginalized communities with state sponsored confinement.
IX. The coronavirus has already been used to justify restrictive immigration policies and increased militarization.
X. Denial and misinformation on the crisis can exacerbate the outbreak, by discouraging critical precautions.
When Xenophobia Spreads Like A Virus
The global response to COVID-19 has made clear that the fear of contracting disease has an ugly cousin: xenophobia. As the coronavirus has spread from China to other countries, anti-Asian discrimination has followed closely behind, manifesting in plummeting sales at Chinese restaurants, near-deserted Chinatown districts and racist bullying against people perceived to be Chinese.
Countering Coronavirus Stigma and Racism: Tips for Teachers and Other Educators
National Association of School Psychologists
COVID-19 does not recognize race, nationality, or ethnicity. Individuals of Chinese ancestry, or of any other Asian nationality, are not more vulnerable to this illness. Accurate information is essential to allaying anxiety about COVID-19 and ensuring that Asian communities are not unfairly targeted or stigmatized.